


Imperious

by westernsunset



Category: Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2018-12-18
Packaged: 2019-09-22 10:10:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17057831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westernsunset/pseuds/westernsunset
Summary: Gary learns about powerful women who scare insecure men.--written for Rosie at fiefgoldenlake!





	Imperious

“I don’t envy you Gary,” Jon said one night over dinner. “Sure, I have a lot to live up to as the heir to the throne, but at least my father isn’t as strict as yours.”

Alex and Raoul nodded in agreement. “I could never!” Raoul said, mouth full. “I don’t think I could make it an hour without Duke Gareth scolding me for something.”

“You’re chewing with your mouth full again, didn’t they teach you manners in that swamp you call a fief?” Gary said. 

“See, there you go!” Raoul said, but he did close his mouth.

“He’s a good teacher,” was all Francis contributed, but Gary could tell that he agreed with the other boys.

“Oh he’s a genius,” Alex agreed. “And his swordsmanship is unmatched. I’m glad to learn from him, I just don’t think I could live with him.”

“I get it, I get it!” Gary said, exasperated. “It’s not all that bad, though. In fact, he’s the easy-going one in the family. It’s my mother you have to worry about.”

The boys were shocked into silence. Food fell out of Raoul’s now-gaping mouth. 

“Raoul! Gross!”

“Sorry,” Raoul said, picking the food up and putting it back in his mouth. Gary shuddered. The country fiefs were really different than Naxen. He’d have to tell his father he’d been right. Again.

“Your mother is the tough one? Tougher than your father?” Raoul said.

“Roanna of Naxen?” Jon responded. “They don’t call her the Imperious Duchess for nothing.”

“And Imperious means…?” Raoul asked.

“Powerful,” Gary said, just as Jon said “intimidating” and Alex said “domineering.”

“Watch it Alex, that’s my mother you’re talking about,” Gary said.

“Well I didn’t mean your mother is domineering. I’ve never met her,” Alex responded.

Gary reflected that wasn’t really a defense or an apology, but he let it go. He knew the kinds of things people said about his mother when they didn’t think he could hear. No one would have dared say those things even close to earshot of his father, but Gary had a way of blending in his father couldn’t master. It helped him keep up with all the happenings at court, but it sometimes meant he heard gossip or cutting remarks he wasn’t prepared for. It seemed like for every one person who admired his mother, there were at least two who would whisper horrible names or make dreadful insinuations. 

He had mentioned it to his mother once, when he was very young. He’d heard someone say something about his mother he didn’t like to repeat, but at six, he didn’t know what the word meant, so he asked her. His mother didn’t even look up from the accounts she was organizing.

“Gary sometimes, when people are intimidated or scared, they resort to cruel language. And because so many people are scared of women, they’ve invented strong words to try to hurt us.”

“Why are people scared of women? You’re not scary,” Gary asked.

His mother smiled. “I’m glad you think that. But there are many men who feel threatened by women who do not seek their approval. Do you know what threatened means?”

“Nervous?” Gary said.

“In a way. More like they’re afraid that someone will take away their power.”

“Why do they have power?” Gary asked.

“Isn’t that the real question, my love,” his mother said. “There are a lot of people in the world who have more power than other people. And nothing scares powerful people more than someone they see as weaker standing up and demanding to be treated equally. Instead of hearing those concerns, or changing their behavior, some people lash out.”

Gary nodded, all of this a lot to consider for his still young brain. “Dad isn’t scared of you.”

His mother laughed her sharp laugh. “No, I could never have married a man who was afraid of me. Your father is a good man, someone who knows his worth and does not have to keep others down to feel powerful.”

“Will I be a man like that?” Gary asked.

His mother held out her arms and Gary went for a hug. She pulled him into her lap and said “you will if I have anything to say about it.”


End file.
